Vehicle-spring.



G. M. HUSTON.

VEHICLE SPRING. APPLICATION rum) MAY25,1912.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

GEORGE M. HUSTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20,

Application filed May 25, 1912. Serial No. 699,654.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, Gnome M. HUsToN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the borough of Manhattan and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vehicle- Springs, of which the following is a specification.

.My invention relates to vehicle springs, and has for its object certain improvements in the construction disclosed in applications for Letters Patent, filed by me April 3, 1912, Serial ,No. 688,326, and April 18, 1912, Serial No. 691,651, as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved construction shown applied to a veiicle axle and body, said axle being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device under tension. Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating a modified construction.

In the said drawing the reference numeral 1 denotes one of the axles of an. automobile or ot-her vehicle, the same being shown L shaped in cross section, though it may be of any configuration. Bolted to said axle at 2 is a plate 3, the same having formed integral therewith an eye 4 at each side of said axle, as shown. Bolted or otherwise fixed to said plate 3 is a leaf spring 5, formed of any clesired number of leaves, said spring being curved downwardly and inwardly at its outer end 6, for a purpose hereinafter to be described. Said spring is at its outer end connected, by a shackle 7, with the free end of the innermost leaf 8 of a series, of spring leaves 9. Said spring leaves 9 areiiionjointly connected to the vehicle body 10 at a point 11 directly above the axle, and extend downwardly therefrom in the arcs of circles to a shackle 12 to which they are separately pivoted in spaced relation, said shackle being in turn pivoted to one of the eyes 1 of plate 3.

Said shackle 12 is of substantially Y-shape, the spring leaves being so connected thereto, as shown, that the center leaf is practically unaffected by any movement of said shackle on its pivot 4, due to relative movement of the axle 1 and the body 10, whereas the outermost leaf will be drawn toward the center leaf to increase their area of contact, and the innermost leaf will be simultaneously forced or pushed toward said center leaf with the same result.

. held in position by rods 15 passing thro To neutralize the shock of metal on I interpcse between the outermost an ter leaves'a filler 13 of india rubber'or a elastic material, the same being thick its end nearest the shackle and gras thinning toward its other end. Said fill retained against lateral displacement means of retaining washers 14 large enou;

to span the space between said leaves the filler from side to side.

In operation when the axle 1 and la move toward each other the down pr erted by the spring leaves 9 on she will cause the latter to turn on its on. toward the position shown in Fi 2, movement, while it will but sligntly a the center leaf, will pull the outermost and will push the innermost into a area of contact with the center leaf, eration compressing the rubber pad the same time the down thrust of leaf 8 will, through shackle 7, draw the outer end 6 of leaf spring 5, caur'. curved end to rock or roll against tlw of leaf 8 and thus force the latter the innermost of the leaves 9, as she Fig. 2, the whole operating to offer a pen"?- ful resistance to shocks.

While I have shown my improved c struction applied to one side only of axle 1,'it Wlll be understood that it may duplicated upon the other side, as in my plications hereinbefore-referred to. it. said applications I employ a clip 16 for b ing together the spring leaves, and I pr to terminate leaf 8 at said clip, so that shifting the position of said clip the iPt tion of said leaf will be correspondiz shifted to vary the normal position of outer end of spring 5.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modified const tion wherein the spring leaf 8 is dispe with and the rounded outer end 6 of spring 5 is brought into contact with i innermost of spring leaves 9, said outer ea, 6 having connected therewith a stirrup 12" which passes around the spring leaves 9, shown, and acts to pull down said outer end (3 and cause it to rock or roll into wedging contact with the innermost spring leaf 9.

It may sometimes be desired to dispense with the rolling action of leaf spring 5. which I do by cuttin of! its curved end *3 and connectingthe end of spring leaf 8 with said shortened end of leaf spring 5 by means of a shackle 18, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A spring construction for vehicles, embodying a spring leaf extending between the two members, a leaf spring attached to one member and curved at its outer end into contact with said spring leaf, and means for causing said leaf spring under strain to rock in .wedging action against said spring leaf.

2. A spring construction for vehicles, cmbodying a spring leaf extending between the two members, a supplemental similarly curved leaf connected to one of the members,

and a leaf spring attached to the other memher, the two being connected at their adjacent ends and said leaf being curved at said connected end so as to rock said spring leaf against its companion spring leaf when under strain.

3. A spring construction for vehicles, embodying a plurality of similarly curved spring leaves fixed to one member in contact with each other and gradually separating toward their points of connection with the other member, a supplemental similarly curved leaf connected to one of the members, and a leaf spring attached to the other member, the two being connected at their adjacent ends and said leaf spring being curved at said connected end so as to roll said spring leaf against its companion spring leaves when under strain.

4. A spring construction for vehicles, embodying a plurality of similarly curved spring leaves fixedtoone member in contact with each other and gradually separating toward their points of connection with the other member, and means connecting said separated ends to said other member and operating under strain to automatically pull the outermost spring leaf and push the innermost spring leaf into contact with the center leaf.

5. A spring construction for vehicles, embodying a plurality of similarly curved spring leaves fixed to one member in contact with each other and gradually separating toward their points of connection with the other member, and a shackle pivotally connecting said separated ends to said other member and operating under strain to automatically pull the outermost spring leaf and push the innermost spring leaf int-o contact with the center leaf.

6. A spring construction for vehicles, embodying a plurality of similarly curved spring leaves fixed to one member in contact with each other and gradually separating toward their points of connection with the other member, and a filler of elastic material disposed between said leaves and shaped to conform substantially to the normal angle of separation therebetween.

7. A spring construction for vehicles, "embodying a plurality of similarly curved springs leaves fixed to one member in contact with each other and gradually separating toward their points of connection with the other member, a filler of elastic material disposed between said leaves, and retaining washers mounted on rods passing transversely through said filler and spanning the space between adjacent spring leaves.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE M. HUSTON.

\Vitnesses PERCY B. HILLS, EDWIN L. YEwnLL. 

